Readings for Sunday, November 12, 2023
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 154
It-Tnejn u Tletin Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena
Reading 1 WISDOM 6:12-16
Resplendent and unfading is wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire; Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence, and whoever for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care; because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude.
QARI 1 Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Għerf 6, 12-16
L-għerf jiddi, bla qatt ma jnemnem, malajr jagħrfuh dawk li jħobbuh, u jsibuh dawk li jfittxuh. Hu jħabrek biex jidher lil dawk li jixtiquh. Min ibakkar ifittxu, ma jitħabatx, għax ħdejn biebu bilqiegħda jsibu. L-aqwa tal-għaqal hu li taħseb fl-għerf,u min jishar għalih malajr jeħles mill-inkwiet. L-għerf idur u jfittex lil dawk li jixirqulu, kollu ħlewwa jidhrilhom fit-triq, u jiltaqa’ magħhom f’kull ħsieb tagħhom. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Responsorial Psalm PSALM 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
SALM RESPONSORJALI Salm 62 (63), 2.3-4.5-6.7-8
R/. (2b): Mulej, Alla tiegħi, ruħi bil-għatx għalik
Ruħi bil-għatx għalik,
għalik imxennaq jiena,
bħal art niexfa, maħruqa, bla ilma. R/.
biex nitgħaxxaq bis-setgħa u l-glorja tiegħek.
Għax it-tjieba tiegħek aħjar mill-ħajja,
xufftejja jxandru t-tifħir tiegħek. R/.
ngħolli idejja u nsejjaħ ismek.
Bħal b’ikel mill-aħjar li jsemmen nimtela,
u jgħannilek fommi b’xufftejn ferrieħa. R/
Meta, mimdud fuq friexi, fik niftakar,
u naħseb fuqek fis-sahriet tal-lejl.
Għax inti kont għajnuna għalija,
għad-dell ta’ ġwenħajk ngħanni bil-ferħ. R/.
Reading 2 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep. Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.
QARI 2 mill-Ewwel Ittra lit-Tessalonkin 4, 13-14
Ma rridux li ma tkunux tafu, ħuti, fuq il-mejtin biex ma ssewdux qalbkom bħall-oħrajn li ma għandhomx tama. Jekk aħna nemmnu li Ġesù miet u qam mill-imwiet, hekk ukoll Alla jiġbor miegħu lil dawk li raqdu f’Ġesù. Dan ngħidulkom fuq il-kelma t l-Mulej, jiġifieri li aħna li nkunu għadna hawn ħajjin għall-miġja tal-Mulej, ma mmorrux qabel dawk li jkunu raqdu. Għaliex il-Mulej innifsu mal-kmand, mal-leħen ta’ l-arkanġlu u t-tromba ta’ Alla, jinżel mis-sema, u dawk li jkunu mietu fi Kristu jqumu l-ewwel. Imbagħad aħna li nkunu ħajjin, li nkunu għadna hawn, ninħatfu magħhom fis-sħab biex niltaqgħu mal-Mulej fl-ajru. Hekk inkunu dejjem mal-Mulej. Agħmlu l-qalb lil xulxin b’dan il-kliem. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
Gospel MATTHEW 25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'But the wise ones replied, 'No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.' While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!' But he said in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.' Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
EVANĠELJU Qari skond San Mattew 25, 1-13
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal lid-dixxipli tiegħu din il-parabbola: “Is-Saltna tas-Smewwiet ixebbhuha ma’ għaxar xebbiet li ħarġu bl-imsiebaħ tagħhom biex jilqgħu l-għarus. Ħamsa minnhom kienu boloh u ħamsa għaqlin, il-boloh ħadu l-imsiebaħ imma ma ħadux żejt magħhom, waqt li l-għaqlin ħadu mhux biss l-imsiebaħ iżda wkoll iż-żejt fil-kwies. L-għarus iddawwar ma ġie, u għalhekk ilkoll ħadhom in-ngħas u raqdu. Imbagħad f’nofs ta’ lejl instama’ min jgħajjat: “Ara l-għarus! Oħorġu ilqgħuh!”. Dawk ix-xebbiet qamu lkoll u ħejjew l-imsiebaħ tagħhom. Iżda l-boloh qalu lill-għaqlin: “Agħtuna ftit żejt minn tagħkom, għax l-imsiebaħ tagħna jintfew”. Qabżu l-għaqlin u qalu: “Għandu mnejn ma jibqax biżżejjed, la għalina u lanqas għalikom! L-aħjar morru għand tal-ħanut u ixtru għalikom”. Xħin dawk marru biex jixtru jiġi l-għarus; dawk li kienu lesti daħlu miegħu għall-festa tat-tieġ, u l-bieb ingħalaq. Saflaħħar waslu wkoll ix-xebbiet l-oħra, u bdew jgħidu: “Sinjur, Sinjur, iftħilna!”. Iżda hu weġibhom u qal: “Tassew, ngħidilkom, lilkom ma nafkomx”. Ishru, mela, għaliex la tafu l-jum u lanqas is-siegħa”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
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Eight-minute Homily by Fr Tony Kadavil
Introduction:
This Sunday’s readings bring the usual warnings about preparation for the end of our own world, the end of our own time, and our passage to another world. They tell us that a searching, watching, and growing heart is essential for a lively, dynamic Faith in God. They ask us whether we are ready for these events and how we are preparing for them.
Scripture lessons summarized:
Because Jesus’ parable in today’s Gospel has five well-prepared wise women, the first reading chosen for today is one which personifies wisdom as a woman. The author advises Jews in Alexandria not to envy the wisdom of the pagan philosophers, because they themselves have true wisdom in their Sacred Scripture, a wisdom which regulates not only this life but the next also. Hence, they must live their lives in strict conformity with the Divine wisdom given them so generously by God.
In the second reading, Paul offers Christian wisdom, assuring those Christians who expected Jesus’ second coming in their lifetime that the death and Resurrection of Jesus is powerful enough to save even those who die before Jesus’ second coming. But they need to be alert, well-prepared, and vigilant. In the Gospel parable of the ten virgins, the foolish virgins represent the “Chosen People of God” who were waiting for the Messiah but were shut out from the messianic banquet because they were unprepared. The parable teaches us that, like the five wise virgins, we should attend to duties of the present moment, preparing now, rather than waiting until it is too late.
Life messages:
1) We need to be wise enough to remain ever prepared: Wise Christians find Jesus in the most ordinary experiences of daily living — in the people they meet, the events that take place, and the situations in which they find themselves — and they carefully make their daily choices for God. They are ready to put the commandment of love into practice by showing kindness, mercy and forgiveness.
2) Let us be sure that our Lamps are ready for the end of our lives: Spiritual readiness, preparation, and growth are the result of intentional habits built into one’s life. We cannot depend on a Sunday Mass or morning service to provide all our spiritual needs. We cannot depend on Christian fellowship to provide us with spiritual development. The meeting of spiritual needs and spiritual development itself come through routine, mundane attention to ordinary spiritual disciplines — making sure we have enough oil or spiritual fuel: oil of compassion and mercy, oil of patience, sympathy, and forgiveness. We open ourselves to receive these graces by taking time for prayer, and being alone with God; by reading God’s Word; by living a sacramental life; by offering acts of service to others; by moral faithfulness, by loving obedience, and by spending time with other Christians for mutual prayer, study, and encouragement. When we receive the graces we need, we thank God for His generous love. As taking these ways becomes habitual, they cease to be a struggle and begin to be a source of strength and blessing. They make our lives powerful against the onslaught of the world.
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